


The High Priestess

by brightasstars



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:21:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23253115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brightasstars/pseuds/brightasstars
Summary: The High Priestess owns the power to make prophecies. One day a knight comes to search for her wisdom and their lives will never be the same again
Relationships: Magnus Bane & Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 17
Kudos: 87
Collections: Shadowhunters Tarot Challenge





	The High Priestess

**Author's Note:**

> This has been written for the Tarot Fic Challenge. The prompt card was The High Priestess.  
> In the story you can find a bit of Kassandra's myth and a bit of medieval knights legends.  
> Enjoy the reading.

Alec had always known he would have become a knight, since he was a kid.

Back then, he had been a poor ragged boy, begging around the streets of Idris. He was alone, not a home where to find shelter, not loving arms to protect him, no loving touches to kiss his fears away.

His life was miserable and lonely but every time he saw _them_ coming...hope raised inside his heart again.

He used to watch those incredible powerful men coming on their galloping horses, covered in iron armors and shining helmets, waving their swords to protect the powerless, the poor, the persecuted, the abused.

Alec had always known.

Chevalry was a thing reserved only to the sons of nobles, those who had a royal lineage. But Alec was good with animals, especially horses. He had always been a shy silent boy, but when he was near a horse he knew how to communicate. His moves, his gestures were slow and caring. His voice was calming.

He started cleaning hooves along the streets. Horses relaxed under his young though expert touch, they could feel he loved them and they were pliant under his hands.

The Lords of Idris had noticed that too.

So he soon was chosen as a stable boy and when he was twelve a Lord had made him his squire.

One day, his Lord decided he was ready to go hunting with him and Alec had discovered archery.

He had been standing there in the forest, staring, memorizing all the moves. How the arch tensed under the pressure of the arm that stretched it in position. How the arrow made a sibilant sound when it had been shot. How the bowstring trembled after the blow until the vibrations ceased.

He was mesmerized.

After that day, his nights were just filled with training, training and training until his hands bled.

And soon he became the best archer the kingdom had ever had.

His Lord was proud of him and protected him, but Alec was a free soul.

He wanted to live his life to help the others that were like he had been, he wanted to see the world, he didn't want to feel trapped inside the high walls of a castle.

One night, the old king of Idris died without a heir and his crown had disappeared from his head. The Lords and the people took it as a sign from above. If someone else would have wanted to become king, he had to find the crown first.

The kingdom suddenly became a war field. All the Lords were fighting for the throne and to find the crown.

Dark days had begun.

The poor people that lived in the small villages were being killed with no reason, women were being raped and children were made slaves and servants.

Those Lords searched only for power, richness and glory. At every cost.

But some warriors...pure of heart and with silver souls, built an army that was known as _The Free Knights._ These warriors didn't respond to any Lord, nor to any law. They only responded to justice. They were brave and fierce and believed in honor, honesty and righteousness. They didn't earn any money, nor power. People helped them, hid them and fed them.

Alec's Lord went to war too. He would have wanted Alec to follow him, but Alec had just turned eighteen and during one night, he left and joined _The Free Knights_ that were hiding in the forest.

There he met Jace and found the first family he could really call his own.

Jace had become the brother Alec had always wanted. They learned to fight together and to be there for each other when they were in danger.

Alec soon became known as the _Archer Knight_.

He wore a silver and blue armor and rode a huge stallion with silky black shining hairs. All his enemies feared him, since his bow was lethal. His arrows were merciless, his aim never failed.

But when it was time to help, his heart was gentle and his voice was kind.

He was different, even from the other _Free Knights_.

Alec preferred to stay aside, he loved reading and walking in silence. He didn't like drinking and making funny jokes about sex. Most because those were about girls and….he had never desired them.

He had always dreamt ...of a prince...

A couple of years had passed since they were involved in this battle. The ongoing war was depleting the population, making the poor even more poor. Men were sent to war and being killed. Women and little kids who weren't killed or kidnapped, were starving to death.

"How long do you think it will take for this realm to find a king again?" Jace asked while removing his helmet.

He was sweaty and needed to drink. His horse was near Alec's one, standing still near a small river.

The sky was a deep light blue and the sun was gently shining above them. Their shelter inside the forest was located where the oak trees were so dense that the light could barely pass through the foliage.

Other knights came behind them, making their horses rest and drink near the river.

"I hear that it's been said the High Priestess had prophesized that the new king will come from where no one is expecting him" Alec replied back.

"Are you nuts?" Jace turned to face him "Everyone knows that woman is...disgrace. Whenever she opens her mouth, bad things happen and… no one has ever believed her."

"Though it seems she had always been right. Every time. I've been alive longer than you, man. Believe me. She masters the seen and the unseen."

Luke voice was sure, strong and commanding.

The _Free Knights_ hadn't a real leader among them to whom they responded, but Luke was one of the oldest and one of the most experienced of them. His ideas were always taken in high consideration.

"No one has ever dared to go and see her Luke. She's dangerous." Jace insisted.

"I think that what people fear about her, is her deep knowledge of human souls. It's been told that she has a great intuition, that she's able to read and figure out our darker sides, our unconscious feelings and emotions, our deepest dreams and hopes. She used to warn us more...before...but she had stopped since no one ever believed her. The legends tell that her father was a demon… and that he cursed her, the day she refused to claim her place beside him."

"Why?" Alec asked. "If she'd always been right. Why no one ever believes her?"

"I don't know. Me neither. I never believed a word of what she had foreseen and predicted. Still...she had always been right."

There was silence.

Something didn't convince Alec, he wanted to know, he wanted to understand.

"I will go." Alec replied back. "I want to ask her who will be the new king. I will believe her. I hope he won’t be one of these warriors. Nothing good can come from these bloodthirsty Lords."

"Alec…" Jace was about to complain, but he stopped immediately.

They were called _Free Knights._ Alec had every right to do that.

So he just rephrased his words "Want me to come with you?"

"No Jace."

"Be careful than."

The lair of the High Priestess was hidden deep inside the forest, behind a river waterfall. It had a narrow entrance carved inside the mountain's rock.

Alec left his horse tied to a big oak tree. He removed his helmet but he was still wearing his armor. To gain access to the cave he had to take few steps under the waterfall.

The right wall of the entrance was painted in black, the left one in white: good and bad, feminine and masculine, darkness and light.

There was a writing on the jamb _“The only way through this entrance is to accept duality”_

Did that mean that only few could get in?

Well, the only way to know was trying.

His heart was beating fast. Why was that, he couldn't tell.

He took the first step trembling, as if he was waiting for something to happen. Then he made the second and the third. Inside the cave there was no light. Alec could just see candles burning beside the narrow musky walls .

"It’s rare to find a knight with such an open heart. Are you ready to follow it?"

The sweet low voice that had just resonated throughout the lair hit Alec as a cool fresh breeze.

"Excuse me?"

"Are you ready to abandon all that you've believed was true to follow your heart and what it will tell you?"

The voice was kind, but something just felt... _strange_.

Alec took some few steps forward toward the point where the voice was coming from.

He was suddenly struck by a blinding light: the sun was pouring into the cave through a hole.

In the light he could glimpse the ending of a blue long robe.

The High Priestess was facing the back wall of the cave.

"I wouldn't come further courageous knight."

Alec stopped.

The voice had a slight tremble.

Was she scared of Alec?

"I...I won't do you any harm. I'm... Alec...I'm not here to kill you."

He heard a soft low laugh spreading through the air.

"Alexander...the _Archer Knight_...the whole realm knows you have a brave and kind heart. Still...I am surprised you were concerned about me being scared. I'm not. I'm ancient, powerful and immortal. I took care of myself in all these centuries, alone. I suggested not to come closer, because no one is allowed to see me if he wants to remain alive."

Alec could tell she was affected by those words.

_That voice_.

"Is that a curse?" Alec innocently asked.

"Ugh...I am a living curse Alexander. Haven't you heard that no one ever believes my prophecies?"

"Yes, that I know."

"Another curse. My father has been...thoughtful...with me…"

So it was true. She had a father. She seemed so human and so lonely. Alec could sense that she felt alone, her pain had enveloped his heart.

"I...I'm sorry. It shouldn't have been so." He whispered and knelt on one knee, bowing his head.

The High Priestess heard the armor moving and tensed. When no sound came after that, she dared to turn a bit and saw a beautiful, young knight kneeling beside her, with his head bowed. She gasped and turned back.

"No one has ever knelt in front of me _Archer Knight_. You are… different...what...what can I do for you? Why did you come here? You won't believe a word of what I will tell you, you know that right?"

"I ...I want to know who will be our new king"

Her body suddenly was overrun by a tremor and the voice instantly changed, as if someone was speaking through her body...it was grave, low, echoing…like it was coming from another dimension.

"Your future king is...a knight. He has no royal lineage, but has a brave and loving heart. To become a king he would have to… pass a test."

Alec felt it. The moment the curse took form inside his mind and heart. The moment he started to think that he couldn't believe the words he was listening to. And for a while… before the curse had completely clouded his mind...he felt sorry, so sorry. And he felt compassion and tenderness for the Priestess.

"He will have to climb a high mountain, with his bare hands. And he will succeed. On the top of that mountain, there is the kingdom crown hidden in a bush. And he will find it. Everyone will know then… that he is the one that will become their future king. But he will be forced in doing something he shouldn't do...not for the realm, but for himself. He will have to choose between a future of power and loneliness and a future of love and anonymity."

The High Priestess shrugged and Alec immediately felt the veil that had enveloped his mind disappear.

He was disoriented. The feeling of warmness and understanding were in his heart again. He wanted to help her.

There was silence.

The Priestess had made her prophecy, which Alec couldn't believe was true.

Another thought was plaguing in his mind.

He raised on his legs again.

"Is there a way to break the curse?" he asked.

He heard a gasp then a deep exhale.

"There is, _Archer Knight_. There is always a way to break a curse. But it's not my duty to tell you how to. You wouldn't believe me, anyway. And no one had ever been interested in freeing me from my curses. You will forget me and my curse, as soon as you'll be on your way again. But since you asked, I can only tell you that the solution is hidden inside this conundrum.

" _Search your heart, search you soul and when you'll find me there, you'll search no more._ "

Alec wanted to say something, but he couldn't find the words.

He left silently and went back to the _Free Knights_. He never told anyone about the prophecy he had heard since he didn't believe it was true. And no one ever asked him anything after he had come back.

But he couldn't forget the High Priestess. He couldn't forget her lonely voice. He couldn't forget the enigma to solve.

A year had passed, fighting and protecting, and that voice had never left his mind and his heart. In his dreams he could hear it calling him, soothing his fears, filling the gap he had inside his heart.

And he kept thinking about those words to solve,..what could they mean? What was he supposed to search?

One day the battle came to his day of resolution. Knights, Lords and royals were fighting on a green plane under a high peaked mountain, that towered the landscape. On the mountain there was a small village where only women and children were left and they were scared. The _Free Knights_ were fighting to protect them. Suddenly it became clear that some of the warriors were going to bring the battle up the mountain. They would have killed everyone in their path.

Alec had to do something and in a moment he had no doubt.

He got rid of his armor, his fellow knights shouting his name. He started climbing the mountain, as fast as he could, with only his bow and quiver on his back. When he had arrived at half of the path, his hands were bleeding and his muscles had become sore under the exertion.

But he had to save them.

With one last effort he dragged his body up the mountain and as soon as he could stand again on both of his legs, he started to throw his arrows toward the warriors that were running up the hill with their horses.

When he had taken all them down, one by one, his fellows had arrived and the other fighters were moving up the rear too.

Alec felt exhausted. As he fell on his knees he heard a weeping sound. He turned his head. Could it be...a child?

He got up even if his legs were aching and started following the crying sound.

It was coming from a big dark green bush. Alec couldn't get in, so he knelt again and started searching inside the branches with his arms.

"Hey there… don't be scared. Take my hands, I'm here to help you. Everything will be all right."

His voice was soft and reassuring.

A small hand grabbed his wrist. And he pulled. A small boy came out, his eyes red, his shoulders trembling.

Alec grabbed him.

"It's ok. You're safe now. Is your mum here?"

The boy nodded.

"Are you alone? Is any other child inside the bush?"

The child remained silent and ran toward his mother's arms.

Alec leaned to search inside the bush again. His hands suddenly touched a hard metallic object. He traced the borders with his fingers… it..it.. _oh God…._ Was it? Was it? It was...it was the missing crown.

He shuddered...and suddenly remembered the prophecy…

The High Priestess had been right…. _a knight with no royal lineage_ …he … he was the king…

He turned toward the crowd with the crown in his hands, his face pale, his eyes lost.

Luke understood immediately...he grabbed Alec from the wrist and shouted "God has blessed us with a new king. The war is over. Kneel in front of our new king."

Alec was shivering and couldn't raise his eyes from the ground. His eyes were full of tears.

She had been right...and he hadn’t believed her…he was the king...still he felt sad and lonely...the only thing he could think of was _that voice_.

The day after the battle, Alec was still living with his fellow knights. He didn't want his life to change, he was in his tent with Jace.

"Are you ok?"

"Ehm… no, not really. I don't… I know I should...but I don't feel happy... it's like… something is missing Jace…" he exhaled.

"It's just all very new Alec...you'll get used to this."

There was a rustling sound as Luke opened the tent.

"My king…"

"Oh come on Luke… I've not been enthroned yet...please call me Alec… even after. You took me in when I was barely out of my teens. Stop this nonsense."

"All right...Alec...the Lord of Alicante, Valentine Morgenstern, wants to meet you...he's waiting out here."

"Me? What does he want from me?"

He followed Luke outside his tent.

The Lord knelt immediately as he saw Alec.

"Raise Lord Morgenstern...what… what can I do for you?"

Lord Morgenstern raised.

"You have found the missing crown, so you are entitled to become the new king. But you have no royal lineage, you need to ground your power, to root it in our traditions. You have to bind yourself to a family who has made the story of Idris. So I'm offering you my daughter, Clarissa. Marry her and rule our country."

_WHAT?!?! Marry who? And that girl? Wasn’t she the one Jace had fallen for?_

Alec felt his heart drop inside his chest. This...this couldn't be his future. How was he supposed to survive? Marrying a woman? Fulfilling his duties? Giving birth to a heir? This wasn't the life he had wanted for himself. His emotions were overwhelming him. He couldn't think of all of this right now.

"Thank you for your offer. I will think about it Lord Morgenstern. I will let you know tomorrow. You're dismissed."

The night fell heavy and hard on Alec's heart. He felt trapped and he just wanted to run away. But where to? What kind of life was he supposed to live? If he had ran away, he couldn't be a knight anymore. He fell asleep silently crying.

_The sound of water...water falling...a light...a blinding light...a voice...a soothing voice…"he has to chose between a future of power and loneliness and one of love"….and then the conundrum again... those words…_ " _Search your heart, search you soul and when you'll find me there, you'll search no more._ "

He awoke all covered in sweat and panting like he had been running. But he felt lighter...and happier. He smiled silently. He knew now. That was the answer to the conundrum...he knew what he had to do.

He raised from his bedroll and grabbed his feather pen. He dipped the tip in the black ink and started to write.

_Free Knights, Lord Morgenstern, Lords you all, as the future entitled king of Idris realm I have made my choice. I leave my throne to my fellow companion and friend Jace Herondale. He will rule Idris with wiseness and fairness. He's brave and loyal and he will protect Idris with his own life. The free knights will be his army and they will continue to protect the poor and the lost ones. Times have to change...love has to guide our choices as it is going to guide mine. Don't search for me. For I am going to live the life I was meant to live._

“Good bye Jace” he whispered while watching his friend. “Thanks for being a friend and a brother. I wish you all the best. Be happy for me.”

He left his armor on the floor of the tent, his sword and his blades. He dressed in normal clothes and brought with him only his bow and quiver and his black horse.

The waterfall seemed more brilliant. Or was just his heart filled with love and joy?

He walked slowly, making his way through the rivulets and entered the cave again. That lair that had haunted his dreams.

Before arriving to the point where the light came in, he inhaled a deep breath and spoke.

"I found it...I know the answer...I know the answer to the enigma…"

He was slowly approaching to the High Priestess.

When the sun hit his eyes, he was struck by the glistening blue robe.

The High Priestess stood there silently, but he could hear that her breath had quickened and that it was ragged.

She hadn't expect him to come back.

"The answer is … _love_ … you will be freed by the curse if you...if someone falls in love with you, if someone finds you inside his heart."

He paused and stepped closer.

"I've searched my heart and soul...just as you said...and I found _you_ there. I don't know how is this even possible...since I don't know you at all...and since you are ...but you have filled my mind, my heart and my dreams since the day I met you. You're in my heart and in my soul and I don't know if you will ever feel anything for me too...but I do... I...I think...I'm in love with you."

He bowed his head and remained still.

There was a blast followed by a hard explosion.

Alec shut his eyes and when he opened them again the cave had disappeared, leaving only small pieces of rock around them. And so was the waterfall.

He raised his head.

In front of him there was a slim long figure standing, dressed in a blue long robe.

Her back was trembling and he could clearly recognize the sound of small short sobs.

The High Priestess was crying.

She was taller than he had expected and her shoulders seemed broad.

He wanted to see her.

He grabbed an arm and pulled to make her turn and face him, but she wouldn't.

The High Priestess was strong. The arm he was grabbing seemed …. m _uscular_ …

Alec's heart was beating fast.

"So...you came back...and you really love me. You broke the curse. I’m not compelled to be the Priestess anymore." The voice was barely a whisper and it was trembling and it still seemed strange to Alec. Though he loved it. Just like the first time he had heard it.

"I… I do...it just took me a bit to realize this. I… I fell in love with you the day I met you...I felt your loneliness...and the only thing that I wanted to do since then, was to find a way to help you live again...I... didn't realize it was love, until I was asked to marry someone else…"

He felt a shiver travelling through the arm he was holding tightly.

"So you're the king now…."

"No...I ... abdicated...I left the throne to another knight. I remembered your words...I ...I chose a future of love...if you…is it you?"

"Yes, Alexander it is me. I fell in love with you too… on that day too. When you asked me if there was a way to break the curse...I dared to hope...but I had never believed you could fight to find a solution to free me."

"Will you…? Can you…? I… want to see you…Will you let me…?"

The High Priestess tensed again.

"Are...are you scared of me?" Alec asked.

"No...I'm not scared of you. I'm scared of me. You're not prepared to see who I really am. I'm not who you think I am. You don't know my story at all...and I'm scared you won't like what you'll see, what you'll find…I am just… who I am…"

"Trust me...as I trusted you...have you...have you a name?"

The High Priestess was breathing heavily.

"I...my name...my name is Magnus…"

Alec eyes widened in shock and he gasped. He pulled strongly to force her… _him_ to turn. He needed to know, to be sure. He couldn't have been so lucky, so blessed.

He kept pulling until Magnus complied. His head was low and he was trembling.

Alec brought a hand on his chin. He could feel...there was beard on it... short and stinging on his skin...his heart was so full of joy.

He caressed Magnus' skin, slowly and gently.

"I… I don't like women Magnus. I… I never did."

Magnus couldn't believe the words Alec had just spoken. It was too much. His trembling should have stopped, but it raised instead.

"Look at me, Magnus please. Look at me. _Please._ "

Magnus closed his eyes and raised his head.

Alec heart skipped a beat...Magnus was beautiful.

"I told you to look at me. You just raised your head. I want to see you. Open your eyes."

Alec's arms encircled Magnus' waist.

His blue eyes were expecting, full of love.

Magnus slowly opened his eyelids. His eyes were a warm yellow, with slitted black pupils. Alec thought that they were breathtaking. He had never seen anything so beautiful in his life.

"They are beautiful. You are beautiful."

He leaned just a bit and pressed his lips on Magnus'.

And it felt like coming home, for both of them.

Their mouths opened slowly and they kissed for a long long time.

When they parted, Alec put his hands on Magnus shoulders and pushed the blue robe down on the grass.

"You don't need this anymore. Come on, let's build a home."

He took Magnus’ hand and brought him near his horse.

“Can you ride?” he asked.

“Of course I can, my prince.” Magnus answered.

Alec got on his horse and helped Magnus climbing and sitting behind his back.

“The whole realm will come searching for me soon, even if I told them not to. We have to go far from here”.

Magnus laid his head on Alec’s back and nodded silently.

“Are you ready? Hold on tight to me.”

“I will Alexander, I always will”.

They rode silently for the rest of the day, without stopping, not even to grab some water.

When the sun had disappeared behind the horizon, Alec stopped his horse near a small abandoned stable.

“We can spend the night here”

They both stepped down and Alec took his bow. There was a quick noise coming from behind a tree. He took Magnus’ arm and put his index finger in front of his lips, asking him to stay quiet and still.

As the hare came out, Alec’s arrow hit it.

The fire was warm and Magnus’ skin was shining under those red and orange flames.

“So, you are free now?” Alec was speaking slowly, while roasting their dinner.

“Yes, I am free. And I have lost all of my powers as my immortality. I am what I was before all this had begun.” His eyes were sparkling, he looked so happy.

Alec stroke his cheek gently.

“You won't be a knight anymore. Do you regret it?” Magnus asked.

“No. Now I know that my call as a knight was to give this realm a new king, a loyal one. And to find you and free you. And in finding you, to live the life I had always dreamt to live”


End file.
